NASHIK: The Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) has officially cancelled the proposed Greenfield township project in Makhmalabad, halting plans for a new township covering 753 acres on the outskirts of the city.
Civic chief Manisha Khatri recently issued an order to scrap the project, which was initially proposed under the Smart City Mission.
Sachin Jadhav, the executive engineer from NMC’s town planning department, confirmed the cancellation. “The commissioner has issued the order to cancel the Greenfield township project. This decision emerged due to strong opposition from farmers,” he stated, noting that related legal proceedings in the Bombay High Court also influenced the decision.
In 2019, the Nashik Municipal Smart City Development Corporation Ltd (NMSCDCL) proposed the township to facilitate future city expansion, intending to develop essential infrastructure including roads, water supply systems, and drainage networks in the 753 acres of land located in Makhmalabad and Hanumanwadi in the Panchavati division.
With an estimated cost of over Rs300 crore, the project was structured around a land-pooling model. Under the draft plan, landowners would receive back 55% of their land as developed plots, while the remaining 45% was designated for roads, public amenities, and civic infrastructure. Proposed features included wide roads, water supply networks, sewerage lines, parking spaces, and green zones.
NMSCDCL submitted the draft proposal to the state government for approval in December 2020. However, it faced significant resistance from farmers concerned about land rights and the potential impact on their livelihoods.
The matter escalated to the Bombay High Court when a group of landowners challenged the project in 2023, resulting in the court restraining the Smart City corporation from proceeding with any related activities.
During a meeting held by the urban development department in Mumbai on April 23, 2025, NMC indicated its decision to cancel the project. The department then instructed the civic body to present the proposal to the general assembly and forward the resolution to the state government, which was later approved by the civic administration.
MLA Devyani Pharande, who advocated on behalf of the farmers, welcomed the cancellation. Farmers from Makhmalabad and Hanumanwadi had opposed the project from the beginning, expressing concerns about property rights and local development.
“I consistently followed up with the chief minister, the urban development department, and senior officials, advocating for the cancellation of the scheme. This decision will bring relief to farmers and enable development in the area,” Pharande stated.
The cancellation concludes one of the city’s most ambitious township proposals, which had been mired in opposition, administrative reviews, and legal challenges for several years.
